Islamabad, Jun 5 (IANS): A total of 51,593 Pakistani nationals, who had been stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have been repatriated, a Foreign Ministry official confirmed.

Pakistan started repatriation of its nationals in March in the wake of the pandemic from different parts of the world, reports Xinhua news agency.

"As of June 30, a total of 51,593 Pakistani nationals have returned home so far through special flights and through land routes from different parts of the world," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said on Thursday.

Farooqui said in the past few days, 2,558 Pakistani citizens were repatriated from Dubai, 653 from Saudi Arabia, 179 from Somalia, 51 from Egypt and Tunisia, 118 from Mauritania and Sierra Leone.

She said the Foreign Ministry and the country's missions were continuing to facilitate and assist the Pakistani nationals across the world in order to bring them back safely and in a dignified manner.

"Our embassies and consulates are working round the clock in facilitating repatriation of our citizens back home, in accordance with a comprehensive repatriation plan devised in consultation with all stakeholders," Farooqui said.

She said a special cell namely the Crisis Management Unit is working at the Foreign Ministry round the clock with a dedicated team to monitor the phased repatriation.